{"id":163598,"date":"2018-01-01T06:33:03","date_gmt":"2018-01-01T06:33:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=163598"},"modified":"2018-01-05T07:11:43","modified_gmt":"2018-01-05T07:11:43","slug":"us-state-department-hints-at-iran-overthrow","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thetruthseeker.co.uk\/?p=163598","title":{"rendered":"US State Department Hints At Iran Overthrow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tyler Durden — Zero Hedge Dec 31, 2017<\/h1>\n

The US State Department has issued a formal condemnation of the Iranian government following two days of economic protests centering in a handful of cities, calling the regime \u201ca rogue state whose chief exports are violence, bloodshed, and chaos\u201d while announcing support for protesters. <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It fits a familiar script which seems to roll out when anyone protests for any reason in a country considered an enemy of the United States<\/strong>\u00a0(whether over economic grievances or full on calling for government overthrow).<\/span><\/p>\n

\"1\"<\/p>\n

The statement by spokesperson Heather Nauert, released<\/a> <\/strong><\/span>late on Friday, further comes very close to calling for regime change in Iran when it asserts the following:<\/span><\/p>\n

On June 14, 2017, Secretary Tillerson testified to Congress that he supports \u201cthose elements inside of Iran <\/strong>that would lead to a peaceful transition of government.<\/strong><\/em> Those elements are there, certainly as we know.\u201d<\/strong> The Secretary today repeats his deep support for the Iranian people.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Though most current reports strongly suggest protests are being driven fundamentally by economic grievances<\/a><\/strong><\/span>, the US has already framed this week\u2019s events inside Iran as revolutionary in nature and as aiming for \u201ctransition of government\u201d.<\/strong> On Friday evening White House Press Secretary\u00a0Sarah Huckabee Sanders tweeted the following statement<\/a><\/strong><\/span>:<\/span><\/p>\n

Reports of peaceful protests by Iranian citizens fed up with the regime\u2019s corruption and its squandering of the nation\u2019s wealth to fund terrorism abroad. The Iranian government should respect their people\u2019s rights including their right to express themselves. The world is watching.<\/span><\/p>\n

The media is already promoting a regime change narrative<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As we noted during our i<\/strong>nitial coverage<\/strong><\/span><\/a> of Thursday\u2019s protests,\u00a0Israeli as well as\u00a0Iranian opposition\u00a0media commentators (and of course pundits in the US mainstream) have generally appeared giddy with excitement at the prospect that protests could spread inside Iran<\/strong>, potentially culminating in society-wide resistance and possible change in government. It goes without saying that Iran has been enemy #1 for the United States and Israel since the Islamic Revolution and embassy hostage crisis beginning in 1979.<\/span><\/p>\n

Consider for example this major Israeli international broadcast network, which in an English language interview segment covering the very beginnings of (relatively small and limited) protests Thursday quickly linked the Tehran government with use of chemical weapons in Syria, supporting the \u201cbiggest butcher in this region Bashar al-Assad\u201d, and facilitating the killing of civilians:<\/span><\/p>\n

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#Iran<\/a> protests: this might be #Rouhani<\/a>'s chance to force the economic reform he's been long clamoring for, @MeirJa<\/a> tells @talexander_i24<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Pog57xkKKU<\/a><\/p>\n

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) December 28, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n